SC cop who lost his leg tries out for SWAT

A Spartanburg Public Safety Officer who lost a leg in a crash passed a fitness test and may soon rejoin the SWAT team

By PoliceOne Staff

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — A Spartanburg Public Safety Officer who lost a leg in a crash passed a fitness test and may soon rejoin the SWAT team.

Less than a year ago Officer Keith Soules was hit on his way home from work and lost part of his leg, WSPA reported. He was fitted with a prosthetic and on Friday took a test in hopes of re-joining his department's SWAT team.

To pass, officers must "climb a rope, run a mile and a half in 12 minutes and 30 seconds or less, do pull ups, sit ups and push ups and pass a shooting component," according to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Amid cheers from his family and the man who fitted his prosthetic leg, Soules completed the run in 11 minutes and 25 seconds.

Captain Art Littlejohn recommended Soules rejoin, and early next week supervisors will give him the final OK. Littlejohn spoke of how inspiring it's been to watch Soules journey from crash victim to department records clerk to near-SWAT officer again.

"I knew he would do well," Littlejohn said. "I think he's an inspiration to everyone — that something like that can happen to you, and you don't have to stop."